


The New York File

by JotunPrincess



Category: CSI: NY
Genre: Angst, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Inaccuracies, Sorry Not Sorry, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-04-03 07:14:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 20,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4091944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JotunPrincess/pseuds/JotunPrincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new lab analyst just moved into NY from NJ, and on the first day to work Don nearly runs her over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. File one

**Author's Note:**

> So this story I started back in like 2011. I never finished, and I never had a real point to it. It had started posting it on fanfiction.net under the name Acuna Magnus Bane.
> 
> So now I am giving the story an actual point. I haven't decided where I want to start it off as far as the show is concerned. I'm thinking around season three.
> 
> I started writing this because at the time I thought there weren't enough ladies on the show, so I decided to add one. Originally she wasn't suppose to have an eventual story with Flack.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to bring my character in between episodes Silent night and Obsession.

As the woman entered the crime scene, it was clear the look she had on her face was not that of a woman happy on her first day at a new job.  
“Would you look at the sour face on her?” Adam commented. 

“I’d hate to get on her bad side.” Danny commented.  
Coming over to them, she put on a smile. “Hi, I’m Imogene Bennet, from Jersey.” 

Imogene Bennet was built with a slender frame, long legs, with high cheekbones, blue-grey eyes, smooth skin, and brown long brown hair, that she'd pulled back into a neat bun and stood at a lovely five foot seven.  
“Nice to meet you, I’m Danny Messer and this is Adam Ross.” 

Imogene extended her hand to shake there’s but pulled back. “I will shake both your hands later, when no one is wearing gloves. Now can you tell me where I can find Detective Taylor?” 

“Yeah,” Danny pointed over his shoulder, to the crouching older man. 

“Thanks.” She smiled. Heading over to Mac she introduced herself.  
~.oOo.~

Later in the day when most of the team had been at the lab, and had a chance to meet Imogene, the woman found herself in the lab with Lindsey by her side comparing a few samples from bullets they’d pulled from the scene.  
“So can I ask a question?” Lindsey said.

“Sure.” 

“Why were you all frowned up this morning?”

“Because this yahoo nearly heat me with his damn SUV. I wasn’t j-walking either, I was crossing the street like a normal person. Hell I should have known better this is New York. I could j-walk and survive better than if I just used the cross walk.” Imogene explained.

Lindsey chuckled at the mini rant. She liked Imogene. So far the woman had proved very capable of her job. 

“IF you saw him again would you remember the face?”

“Yes, and I’d give him a piece of my mind.” 

~.oOo.~ 

Once the case was solved and the lab cleaned up Lindsey, Adam, Danny and Stella were heading for the elevator, the thoughts of dinner on their minds.

“Hold the Elevator!” 

Sticking an arm out Stella stalled the doors for them. Mac entered first followed by Flack.

“You.” Imogene exclaimed. 

“So you weren’t just a bad dream?” Don replied, a frown suddenly gracing his face.

“You’re not the one that nearly got hit with a car.” 

“Well had you been watching where you were going.”  
“Wait this is the guy that nearly hit you a few days ago?” Lindsey asked.

“Yeah. World is to damn small.” Imogene got off the elevator. 

“Wait, Imogene, what about dinner?” Stella called.

“Rain check!”

Don rolled his eyes. “She’s got some nerve.”


	2. Between cases

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a bit of filler and fun. Few jokes and quibs.

"so wait I ended up dumpster diving because I'm the newbie?"

"I think I rather go diving in a dumpster than searched through tiger crap." Lindsey chuckled.

"Least dog crap is easier, smaller."

Sharing a look both woman started laughing.

~.0.~

It's starting to get warm out. The heat ain't bothering you?" Sheldon asked.

"Not really no. But In Jersey we get it all, so I'm adaptable. Adaptable, he's adapting to his surroundings, thanks Shel.." Gene took off like a bat out of hell to get on with her case.

~.0.~

"Alright, I guess this is the day I get to meet the famous Sid." Gene smiled.

"You haven't met sid?" Sheldon asked.

"Nope."

"Be warned: as much as we all love Sid, he goes to a creepy place." 

"Creepy place?" she asked, confused.

"When going over a body, he start bringing up facts, and thoughts and some of them are creepy. You'll know it when you hear it." Sheldon explained.

~.0.~

"You must be Sid Hammerback. We haven't had the pleasure of meeting, I'm Imogene."

"Cumbeline." The other man stated.

"Excuse me?"

"Your name, it's not heard every day. Last time I heard that name it was from a play called 'Cumbeline'."

Imogene smiled, "That's right. My parents were both in the play together, they met and that's what they decide to name me."

"They made a lovely choice in a name then." 

~.0.~

"You should really stop checking me out. One might think you find me attractive."

"Don't flatter yourself, I wouldn't try to get with you if you were the last woman in the universe."

Imogene shook her head as she gathered her case together. 

~.0.~

"Hey Gene, why do you always wear your hair back in a bun? I' don't think I've ever seen you with it down." Stella pointed out.

"Force of habit. In my last city there was an issue of a woman who worked in the lab and shed, it messed up a lot of stuff and we had to go back through everything. So it became a rule that everyone who had long hair wear hair nets and keep their hair pulled back. So I started rockin' a bun."

~.o0o.~

The door slammed in their faces. "I'm getting real annoyed with these people."

"Maybe they can't stand looking at your ugly mug."

"I know we are not talking about looks, when you've got mustard on your tie. Clean yourself up and move." Shoving him out of the way Gene knocked on the door.

~.0.~

"Hey Gene, you'd consider us friends, right?" Lindsey as as she caught up to Imogene on the elevator. They'd just finished a case and it was time to head for home before the next body came rolling in.

"Of course. Need a Ladies night?"

"Something like that. I could really use a friend to talk to." Lindsey replied.

"No problem. How about we talk over dinner?"

Smiling Lindsey nodded. She waited until they were out of the building and off down the street before saying anything. "I like Danny."

"Well he certainly has a crush on you, why else would he keep calling you Montana?" Gene chuckled.

"Then that must mean you and Flack have the hots for each other too."

"Oh hell no." Gene protested. "See the difference between you and Danny and Flack and myself is, you and Danny are cute together. He's got a crush on you, Flack doesn't have a crush on me, we just throw insults at each other. I don't have a crush on him either. We do however respect each other."

"You won't meet my eye when you talk about him, you're hiding something."

"Alright, Flack's cute."

Lindsey nudged her in the shoulder.


	3. Case two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goal is to do new chapters at least twice a week. Wednesday and Sunday.

! ONE MONTH LATER!

Walking onto the scene Imogene started to take it all in, until she saw Flack standing on the other side of the room. 

“Well if it isn’t Queen of the road ways.” Flack commented.

“Shove it up y-“ 

“Hey!” Mac exclaimed. “I don’t know what the problem is between you two, but it will not happen here. You will work together, end of story.”

“Yes Detective Taylor.” Imogene replied. 

“Sure thing, Mac.” Flack sent a glare the woman’s way. 

With Mac’s back turned Imogene flipped Don the bird as she walked away.

Narrowing his gaze Don watched her. “Got some damn nerve.”

~.o0o.~

“You know it’s childish how you and Flack keep going at each other just because of a near car accident?” Stella pointed out.

“It’s not just that anymore Stella. I know he’s a friend of yours buts he’s annoying, and a smartass.” She smiled. Truthfully Flack was kind of funny at times.

Stella just shook her head fondly.

~.o0o.~

Getting out of the car, Imogene let her eyes scan the crowd of people. “There ten o’clock.” She told Flack.

“Got him. I’ll go this way, take him round the back.” 

“Roger that.” 

Flack had already met the man once and as soon as Klonder saw him he tried to run for it. Taking off after him, Flack tried to catch. Imogene coming up alongside of him, quick enough to throw her body weight into his taking them both to the ground. Klonder wasn’t going without a fight, wrestling around he punched the dark haired woman in the face. Landing a hit of her own Imogene’s punch was going to leave him with a shiner.  
“Hey!” Flack grabbed Klonder and pulled him off, yanking the man to his feet, while he cuffed him. “Assaulting an officer, you’re just wrackin’ up the charges.”

Picking herself up Imogene spit onto the ground. 

Looking over at Imogene he frowned. “You good, Jersey?”

“I’ll live.”

~.o0o.~

Once the case was wrapped up, Hawkes came up with the idea that it was time for a round of beers. 

“Hey New Jersey, let me buy you a beer tonight. All insults off the table tonight.” Flack offered. 

“Sounds good to me.”

Stella saw the exchange and smiled. “They can’t stand each other and yet they respect each other. I swear they are going to end up being a thing at some point or another.”

“Long as they work together when they need to, they can throw as many insults at each other as they please.”

“There’s a running bet on how long everyone will thing they’ll keep dancing around it, want in?” Sheldon asked.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Adam replied. “Five bucks for three year or less, ten for three or more. Twenty if they get together and haven’t told anyone, years don’t matter.”

“I’m for ten.” Stella replied.


	4. Case three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still a little slow going as I start piecing my character into episode I'll write into the summary box which episode I'm filling in to give you an idea of where we are.

One thing Gene had come to realize about working in New York was it was far busier than Jersey. She found herself missing more meals than a few and for about two weeks she realized she managed to survive on nothing but protein bars, orange juice, water and coffee.

“How you liking the case load now Jersey?” Flack asked in a teasing tone.

“Summer hits for you and it’s like all the crazies come out of the wood works. The little bit pisses someone off enough to kill them. I just finished up a case on a guy who killed his friend because of a bet he couldn’t pay back that week.” She replied.

“Welcome to New York.”

“Kinda late for that don’t you think?” She asked.

“What the hell is your problem today?” Flack questioned

Before Gene could answer her stomach answered for her.

“When was the last time you ate?”

“Sometime yesterday. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to the lab.” Gene replied. 

On her way in she grabbed something to take back with her. After two hours and still more work to be done, Gene sighed. Grabbing her food she found Sheldon taking a break with some coffee.

“Hey Gene, what you got?” 

“Breakfast, bacon egg and cheese on whole wheat bun. Enjoy.” Leaving him to enjoy the food she went back down to the lab just in time to find her samples ready.

~.0.~

“Hey Gene get down to the garage they just brought in the vic’s car. Take Danny down with you.” Mac ordered.

“Sure Mac.” 

“Hey Gene, nice work on the Hanes case.”

“Thanks.”

.o0o.

Looking at the wrench in her hand, Danny frowned. “You alright Gene?”

“I’ll be fine, I promise. Just a little tired.”

“Alright.” 

Danny wasn’t going to get on her. He’d seen the look before. Tired, working cases back to back. Paying the delivery boy she took her burger up stairs and went to find a quiet place to sit down for a bit.

“Hey Gene, you, Hawkes and Adam with me, be ready to go in five minutes.” Stella told her in passing.

With a long suffering sigh she found Lindsey. “Hey, hungry?”

“Yeah, I am actually.”

“Bacon burger with lettuce and tomato, fries with salt and pepper on them. Have at it.” Without another work she headed off to go get her kit.

.o0o.

“What is that?” Adam asked looking at the gun.

“This would be an AK-47.”

“Hey and look there’s more here.” Sheldon said uncovering another spot.

“Let’s get it all back to the lab and start putting them together. Test the out, find the murder weapon and get prints.”

Getting everything back to the lab Stella and Gene got started on putting everything together. When the final gun was finally put together Gene carried it up to Mac’s office. 

“Three 47s, bushmaster ACR, two beryl wz 96.” Gene explained. “Whatever they had planned they were only working on target practice when they took out those two cops. Maybe this is supposed to be a drug and gang related thing. We pulled a few prints, I’m running them through AFIS now.”

“Well then lets get-“

“Mac I need a break. I’ve been running for two almost three days.” She hadn’t eaten, had caught cat naps and coffee and water could only get you so far.

“In the middle of a case? I need you to get back to those prints and follow whatever leads they give you. Right now we’re stretched out thin, I need you here and focused.”

Nodding Gene went to head back to the door for the lab. 

“Hey, I realize how hard you’ve been working, and that you’ve been here for the last few days. Once this case is solved three days are yours, no phone calls.”

Nodding Gene headed back to the lab but it wasn’t long before she found herself down at the precinct with Flack questioning a suspect. 

“Gene you alright?” 

“I’m fine.”

“Hey.” Flack grabbed her arm bringing her back to look at him. “You don’t look like you’re fine.”

“Like you would suddenly care.” She scoffed.

“Actually I would. All insults off the table but I would care if something happened to you. Messing with you is just for the fun of it all.”

“I’m fine, Flack. Little hungry and tired, but nothing I haven’t dealt with before.”

Nothing to this extent.  
~.0.~

The next meal Gene gave up was to Danny, an order or steak and eggs with hash browns.  
“Has anyone seen Gene?” Sheldon asked.

“I think she went to go have a nap.” Lindsey replied. “Why?”

“I just wanted to give her the money back for the food she gave me. Came out of nowhere. Was better than what I was going to end up eating.” Hawkes explained.

“Wait she gave you something to eat too?” Lindsey asked.

“What did she give you?” 

“Burger with the works.” 

At that moment Danny entered the lab having just finished the food Gene had given him. “What’s goin’ on?”  
“Where are you comin’ from?”

“Eating, Gene gave me a container and said not to let it go to waste.”

~.0.~

After discovering a new piece of evidence Gene smiled, it could be the key to finally closing their case. Getting up she took the information to go find Mac and Stella.

“Mac, St-“ The sentence cut off as she Gene started to crumple to the floor.

“Sheldon!” Mac called out. 

Kneeling down he started to check over Gen’s vitals. “I think I know what’s wrong but need to test it for sure. Stella see if you can find Kevin in the morgue, tell him to bring his testing kit, he’ll know what it means.”

Going off to find the man Sheldon looked back at Gene. “Imogene, can you hear me?”

“Do you know what’s wrong with her?”

“Hypoglycemia, low blood sugar.”

Stella came back with Kevin, a diabetic. “What’s going on here?”

“I need your kit to test her blood sugar.” Sheldon replied. “Danny go find some orange juice, water and a banana.”

Testing her blood sugar he found that it was extremely low. Moving Gene into Mac’s office they got her settled on the couch. After a few minutes Gene started to come around and tried to sit up. 

“Do us a favor and stay down.” Mac ordered.

“Here drink this and eat that, it’ll get you started.” Sheldon said.

Taking the banana and orange juice Gene gulped it down. 

“Start talking.”

“I was in the lab constantly, or doing something else. Taking apart the care, questioning suspects, going through evidence, one thing after the other. Every time I got food into my hands I was ordered or obligated to do something else.” 

Mac nodded. “Sheldon, I got her from here, you can go.”

“Sure Mac.”

“Thanks Shel.” 

Once Sheldon had gone Mac looked back at Imogene. “I know you haven’t been here that long. Still learning how we do things around here. Sometimes things get stretched thin, and some days I forget that not everyone is me. You have to make time to eat something, look after yourself and if you find that you aren’t getting that chance tell me so I won’t give you another thing to do.” Mac told her. “They told me how you were catching cat naps in corners and giving them your food when something else came up. I promised you would have three uninterrupted days when this is over and you will.”

“Alright.”

“Now rest up, drink the orange juice and eat the banana you need ‘em.”

~.0.~

Two hours later Gene was finally feeling better and was on her feet again. She found herself in the lab cleaning up the last of the case, Stella had called and said they’d gotten their men.

When she heard a knock on the glass she looked up. “What you doing up here New York?”  
“I heard about what happened today, feelin’ better?”

“Feeling so much better. Orange juice and a banana got me on my feet again, now I just need a real meal. I’ll be done in a few minutes and I’m going to go grab something.”

“I was wondering, could I take you out? Not as a date just as friends.”

Gene looked over at him, “I’m fine Flack really.”

“I know you’re fine. I know you can take care of yourself. But I feel a little a bad for before. I know since you got here we haven’t been the nicest to each other. I meant what I said when I said I would care if something happened to you. I know since you got here and all the insults that we throw back and forth at each other may say otherwise but it stopped before like that and being more of a normal fun thing. Didn’t feel right unless I said something to rile you up.” Flack explained. “So Burger?”

“Sounds good, give me a minute to collect my stuff.”


	5. Case four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> naming the chapters case one case two and such does not reflect how many cases she's done with team. She's done any and all cases that they have come across since joining them.

“So did you get anything back from the trace on Wendy?” Sheldon asked.

“I did. But first, did you know there is a popular fan theory that Peter Pan is an angel of death?”

“What?”  
“Yeah. It’s believed he’s an angel of death because the lost boys never grew up, they never aged when they were with him. There is another one where he killed the boys after they got to be a certain age so they would never continue aging maintaining that child hood innocence.” 

“You’re in a creepy place right now. You’ve been talking to Sid to much.” Sheldon told her.

Once Sheldon had gone Gene thought back to everything she’d just told Sheldon. “I still don’t think it was creepy.”

~.o0o.~

“How did we get Shark detail?” Gene asked. 

“Because then whatever I find, you can take down to the lab and identify some of it here, bounce a few theories between each other.” Sheldon replied staring at the carcass. 

“I think you just want me to puke.”

“Well you better get ready to do so, I’m going in.”

Helping Sheldon pull out bits and pieces Gene helped him bag them before her stomach finally couldn’t stand it. 

Mac entered with Sid right before him and frowned. “Wasn’t Gene supposed to be in here with you?”

“She was, until about two minutes ago. Shark doesn’t agree with her.”

~.0.~

“Hey Gene make just called said to meet him in autopsy to poke at the shark some more. I don’t know if he’ll want you there, but I thought I’d get you now.” 

“I’ll be there.”

Ten minutes later Gene looked at the sharks clouded eye. “Why do you keep haunting my day?”

“Gene, what are you doing here?” Mac questioned.

“I thought you might want her here since Gene helped me earlier.” Sheldon asked.

“No, I’m going to help you. Gene, you’re free to get back to the lab.”

“Thank you.” 

~.0.~

“I told him.” Lindsey said as she sat down next to Gene in the break room.

“’Cuse me?”

“I told Danny I feel for him. I don’ know what to do Gene, I thought we had something going.”

“And you do. Give him a minute, he’s trying to reboot after this whole Ruben thing. Danny has probably never dealt with a loss where there was more than one way to deal with it.”

“I know and I told him he didn’t have to do it alone.”

“Then let it while around in that pretty blonde head of his and then hopefully he’ll come to you and ask to talk. Give it a bit of time.”

While Lindsey solved her issues with Danny Gene was finding some with Don.

She’d been on the way home when she spotted him in a bar. Entering she thought she’d join him for a quick moment or two.

“Hey New York.” She greeted.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was on my way home and I saw you through the glass. I thought I would invite myself in. Looks like I made the right decision you look really pensive.”

“Got a lot on my mind.” Don confessed.  
“Wanna talk about it?”

“Hey Flack!” They both looked up as his name was called. 

Gene had met Detective Angell a few times before, never enough to really talk to her but enough to find her here. As Angell approached she kissed flack’s cheek. 

“Ah seems I intruded on something. Sorry about that. Flack still on for Saturday?”

“Of course.”

~.0.~ 

Gene was laughing to herself, so Flack was capable of having a girlfriend. Gene never got the chance to really say anything until about it until the next time they got together for an early break after just wrapping up a case.

“So, you and Angell, when did that happen?”

“What you jealous?” Flack questioned.

“Nope. You just didn’t really seem like that dating type, least not currently, or is the thing with Angell something that just happened?”

“Kind of just happened. We got to talking and it went from there. Got a question for you now, where’s your boyfriend?”

“Don’t have one. I’m not really looking right now. Since I moved out here the only standing dates I seem to have are with you.” Gene answered.

“These don’t even have a proper schedule, so I don’t think they count.”  
“Yeah. Then I have no life.”

The conversations they had when they were hanging out usually centered around work. Few stories about family and the odd holiday events that found someone of the family being drunk or something not going quite right.

~.o0o.~

Gene was laughing at the joke Danny had made on the white board. 

“Gene, come help us question the kids. Between the four of us it’ll get done quicker.” Mac said. 

“Sure.” Gen joined them in the gym and started talking to the kids. After the first five she was rolling her eyes so hard it hurt. 

“I hated kids like them when I was in school. Couldn’t stand the lot of them, bunch of damn preps, with their ‘my daddy has more money’ attitude.” She made a face. 

Next to her Don laughed. “And what did you get classified as?” 

“I was a rocker chick. I wore the ripped jeans, mini-skirts and even colored my hair. Toned down after I finished school.” She explained.

“How do you not have a criminal record?”

“Just because of someone’s appearance you shouldn’t assume that the lot of them end up in jail or with a criminal record.” Mac pointed out.

“Or got caught.” Gene commented.

Getting looks from Mac, Flack and Stella she held up her hands in defense. “It was a joke!”  
~.o0o.~

“Hey where are you going?” Angell asked as she watched flack get dressed.

“I’m hanging out with Gene today. Im thinking we’ll hit the range go hang with the kids at the Y for a bit.” Flack shared.

~.0.~

“Hey Flack I thought maybe we could get together tonight hang out. I’ll cook dinner for us?” Angell said into the phone.

“I’m sorry, I already made plans with Gene, Lindsey and Danny for the day.” Flack replied. “I’ll make it up to you another day.”

It bugged Angell something fierce that when she tried to set up something for them he was already running off into the world with Gene. They hung out once or twice a month when they could between cases. Usually no one was invited. For a pair of people who didn’t get along very well they certainly got along to share beers, meals and just plain walking through the park time together.

~.0.~  
“Hey Flack what are you doing after your shift?” Angell asked him.

“I’m gonna swing by Gene’s place to see how she’s holding up. After the other day I can only imagine she’s bored and pissed off, so I’ll sit with her for a bit. Stella saw her yesterday.”

Angell had had enough. She was sick of the woman and she’d be damned if she let her steal flack.

Gene held her breath against the pain that was radiating through her as she got up from her bed. The knocking persisted. She’d taken a roll down a flight of stairs with a suspect. It left her with a sprained wrist, cracked ribs and bruises from head to toe.

“I’m comin’ dammit!”

Holding onto her left side Gene finally made it to the door remembering not make to many fast movements. “Hey Angell, what’s up?”

“Stay away from Flack.”

“What?” Gene questioned, her eyes narrowing at the woman.

“You heard what I said. Stay away from him. Aside from when you see him at a crime scene, don’t talk to him. No more hanging out, having beers and getting lunch. If you do, I promise you I will make you pay for it.”

Angell left off down the hall and Gene slammed her door shut. 

Looking at the clock on her wall Gene got dressed. She left her wavy locks free of the usual bun allowing them to cascade over her shoulders. Heading out Gene made the trek to the crime lab to see Lindsey.

Mac looked up from the paper work on his desk just in time to see the woman walking down the hall. Getting up he quickly pulled the door open. “Gene!”

Stopping in her tracks she turned around full body to see Mac coming towards her. “You’re supposed to be at home, resting and healing, not wandering around.”

“Mac I’ll be alright. I came down to see if Lindsey wanted to have lunch if she wasn’t to busy.” She replied. 

“Fine and if she is you go to the break room or come to my office to sit still until someone can take you home. You don’t need to be walking around New York with the chance to make it worse.” 

~.o0o.~  
“She said that to you?” Lindsey frowned. “What are you going to do?”

“Stay away from Flack.” 

“So you’re letting Angell scare you off. You and Flack are friends if he feels like hanging out with you that’s his right.” Lindsey said. 

“Yeah it is. Angell is also friends with Danny, Sheldon and is dating Flack. They’ve known her longer than I have and would probably say she’s not capable of threats like that or she’s not the type.” Lindsey forgetting about her friend’s injuries wrapped an arm around her in a comforting gesture.

She pulled back quickly when Gene hissed in pain. 

“So if you did continue to hang out with Flack, what do you think she’d do?”

“Don’t know, but I do know that it doesn’t need to end ruining my career. I worked hard to get here. I don’t need it messing with my life in anyway.”

“Why not just tell Mac?”

“Oh please, telling Mac would be like telling my dad about what my brother did to my Barbie doll.” She replied. 

“Well if it ever spills out into the open, I’ve got your back.” Lindsey smiled. 

“Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scenes were from  
> 4x12  
> 4x17  
> 4x18  
> and the final scenes I put between 5x4 and 5x5.


	6. case five

Flack frowned when Gene didn’t answer the door but figured she’d been in enough pain to take some pain killers and knock out on her sofa. He met up with Jess instead so they could spend the night in his place.

Flack ended up calling Gene after two days of not hearing from her. “Hey you forget how your phone works?”

“No. Look, it is best if we don’t see each other.”

“We aren’t seeing each other.”

“I mean no more hanging out. Lunches, beers, breakfast. Aside from seeing you on a case that’s all we’ll do. Bye Flack.”

The call cut off leaving the blue eyed man to stare at his phone. “What’s wrong baby?” Angell asked.

“Nothin’.” He replied. 

~.o0o.~

A few weeks later Gene was back into the lab and all smiles as she greeted everyone. Her wrist was better, the bruises were all gone and she still had a couple of weeks that she should have been home with her broken ribs, but what Mac didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt.

Walking pass the AV lab she spotted Adam being Adam. Leaning in the door way she listened to his antics as he voiced over some video footage.

“You are a strange man.” She commented.

“Gene!” Adam exclaimed, though he did jump a bit in surprise.

“Hi Adam.”

“Does Mac know you’re here?”

“Not yet. I’m looking for him.”

“Looking for who?” 

Turning around Gene hid the slight twinge of pain in her ribs. “You. I’m cleared for work.”

“Yeah, don’t think I didn’t see that just now. You’re confined to the lab for a few weeks.” Mac ordered. He stopped her before she could protest, “Argue and I’ll send you home until you’re fully healed.” Leaving them he went off to his office.

“I’d take that and run with it. Least you’re out of the house.” Adam pointed out.

“This is true.”

Getting off to one of the labs she ended up helping Lindsey test a theory until Danny showed up. 

“Hey Gene, good to see you up and movin’ again. Welcome back.”

Lindsey left them so she could explain the findings to Mac. 

“So what you and Flack are back to hatin’ each other?”

“Look Danny, I don’t want to get into it. It’s complicated. Far more complicated than I want it to be and being an outsider to your family doesn’t make it easier. So let me handle this my way.”

“You’ve been here for nearly a year, I wish you would have considered me a friend and not just a work friend.”

“I do consider you a friend. But some friendships have lasted longer than others. Again I’m the outsider, and I would appreciate it if we could still stay friends but this whole thing with me and Flack gets put under the bridge.”

“Deal.” Danny replied.

~.o0o.~

Looking around Gene ducked across the hall to Mac’s office to grab a snack. Mac knew about it and left that cabinet open jus for her. Forgetting a spoon she sighed but wasn’t about to miss her quick break and started to lap at the contains of the cup much like a dog trying to get peanut butter out of a toy.

“What the hell?” Sheldon stated seeing her.

“I forgot to get a spoon and I don’t have a lot of time.” 

“I was just in the break room I didn’t see you there.”

“I didn’t get this from the break room. Mac lets me keep a stash in his office for moment s like this after I passed out that one day.”

“Looks like you better keep a spoon too.”

“Shut it, Hawkens.”

“Whatever, Garden State.”

“Least we can eat the fish out of the Delaware.” She teased. It felt good to get back to normal. But it wasn’t completely more. Gene had gotten use to hanging out with Flack. It was a nice balance to their jokes. She loved the moments when she got to know the people she called her friends.  
~.o0o.~  
Flack didn’t like it. He wanted to know what the sudden change was. The first scene they worked together had been in an apartment. While she and Lindsey worked the scene he was questioning people. By the time he was done, they had gone. She didn’t even respond to him when he called her New York and made a crack about how New Jersey drivers were lousy. He couldn’t get why it bothered him so much. They were just work friends weren’t they?

After four failed attempts Flack waited at the end of his shift outside the crime lab. Watching from the side he watched as she walked out of the building putting her head phones on.  
“Gene!” he called out. Turning around Imogene frowned.  
“I told you Flack, I don’t want to see you.”

“You could at least give me an explanation as to why.”

“Well I don’t owe you one.” By the look in his eyes she knew he wasn’t going to accept that as an answer. “Look Flack it’s complicated, okay?”

“If someone threatened you then tell me so we can deal with them.” He said.

“It’s not that easy Flack. The problem is solved as easy as you and me staying away from each other, I’m sorry.”

“I just want a name.” the blue-eyed man demanded.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Now please, just let it go. Maybe with time we can take a whack at being friends again.” 

Leaving him there Gene headed off for home.  
~.o0o.~

“Hey Gene, you busy tonight?”

“No, you can come round to my place, I’ll order take out for us.” Gene promised. Lindsey was there that night. 

Few hours later they were sitting in Gene’s living room stretched out on the couch and eating Chinese take out. Gene feeling more relaxed at home had let her hair down from her bun, the darker locks flowing over her shoulders. Lindsey having worked a later shift was still in the clothes she’d worn to work that day.

“So what’s the dill pickle?”

Lindsey chuckled. “I’m pregnant, it’s Danny’s.”

“Oh, boy.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I want to have this baby. But I’m worried about telling Danny. Well you can’t hide it from him forever. Sooner or later he’s going to realize a growing belly.” Gene replied.

“I know that.” Lindsey replied. “But what if he runs away? What if he doesn’t want to be a father, or doesn’t stay?”

“What if he does? Danny loves you Lindsey. But he’s a guy when are they ever good at expressing their feelings, communicating or otherwise? You’re coming up with the worst case scenario of what could happen.” Gene rubbed her shoulder. “I’m not saying you have to tell him right this minute or even this week. But he deserves to know. I think he would surprise you and step up to the plate.”

~.o0o.~

“Gene!” Adam called out when he saw the woman turn the corner. Paying for his coffee he left the rest of the money as a tip before jogging after her. He knew Gene by the scarf she wore. As the weather had gotten colder she’d taken to wearing it. Usually the pair never crossed paths while heading into work. They were always minutes apart from each other.

Catching up to her, Adam tapped her on the shoulder.

Turning quickly Gene settled when she saw him. Pulling off her ear muffs she was wearing, Gene removed her ear buds as well, pausing her music. 

“Good morning.” Adam greeted, his usual bright smiled.

“Hi Adam.”

Getting a beter look at her he chuckled. “What were you getting ready for?” Gene had on a pull over fleece, a coat and a scarf wrapped a number of times around her neck.

“I’m cold. I don’t like being cold and I’m to cheap to pay for a cab and two impatient to wait for a crowded ass bus. Come on let’s keep walking.”  
Adam chuckled as he fell into step with her. 

“So I heard you were at a scene with Flack the other day.” 

“Yeah.”

“Don’t tell anyone I asked you, but how is he?” she asked.

“Seemed fine to me. Same old, same old.” Adam replied. He found it strange but since he was never in the loop he didn’t think much on it.

~.0.~

“Whisk.” Flack repeated. Before Stella could get to far from him, Flack called out to her.

“Yeah, Don?”

“How is Gene?”

“She’s alright.” 

“Don’t tell her I was asking after her.” Flack added. 

“Sure thing Flack.”

~.o0o.~

“Valentine’s day is a stupid holiday.” Gene commented.

“Sounds like someone is a sceptic.” Stella replied.

“Nope, just a dumb holiday. Now Halloween, that’s a holiday I can hang out with.” 

“Aw come on, it’s not that bad.” Stella took her cup of hot chocolate from the vendor. At that moment two teens on their way to school were smiling and kissing. So wrapped up in each other and the girl was carrying a teddy bear. 

“It’s never gonna last.” Gene cried out after them.

Stella elbowed Gene in the side. 

“Stop it.” Stella laughed.

“Well it’s not.” Gene answered. “What was your first Valentine’s day like with a boyfriend?”

“I was in high school at the time. He was handsome and funny. We did the usual thing, he got me a teddy bear, and in return I gave him a card and chocolate. He had saved his money so we could go out that night and have pizza.” Stella shared. 

“That’s so cute.” 

Stella gave Gene a light push away from her.


	7. Chapter 7

“Alright I want all hands on deck for this one.” Mac stated. “We’ve got four bodies all with missing organs.”

“Organ trade?”

“What?” Adam questioned.

“But Mac, none of the missing organs match up. One is missing a heart.”

“Another one his liver.” Sheldon added.

“But what’s the point? IS the guy who is doing this eating them?” Adam asked. 

“Doubtful, the man with a missing liver was an alcoholic.” Sid replied.

“Doesn’t mean that it can’t be sold.” Gene replied. “Organs on the black market healthy or unhealthy still go for a price. I could sell half my liver right now and make 50 grand.”

“Really?” Lindsey asked.

“Yes. You’d be amazed what people will pay for certain organs.”

“Gene leave the creepy facts up to Sid.” Sheldon chuckled.

Both she and Sid gave the man the same look of annoyance.

A few days later they were all sitting around the break room milling about before heading home.

“Liver?” Adam asked.

“157 thousand.” Gene replied. 

“Can you sell a hand?” Danny asked.

“Yes you can actually. Hand and forearm would go for 385.” She chuckled.

“Wait, what about a pint of blood?” Sheldon questioned. 

“You could be a very rich person selling your blood. For one pint is 337 bucks. Blood keeps flowing you could give a pint a week and sit fairly pretty.”

~.o0o.~

 

Gene shook her head as she turned off the tv in the break room. “I’m out.”

“Come on Gene not you too.” Sheldon replied. “I never thought you would give in to this blue flu.”

“Yes me. I last time I tried to stay through something like this I nearly lost everything. I’ll be damned if Im going to fight for something I’m not getting.”

~.o0o.~

“I just got back from Montana and I’m not ready to deal with you.” Lindsey replied.

Adam only looked even more confused. 

“This is not how I imagined it.”

“What?”

Grabbing him by the front of his shirt he looked Adam in the eyes. “Go get a set of keys to a car, any car and meet me in the garage in five minutes. My water just broke, I’m about to go into labor and you, are taking me to the hospital.”

Gene had planned for a half a day that day. She needed to make her annual trip to the doctor and wanted to get it over and done with. Getting to the lab she frowned when she didn’t find any familiar faces of her team. Not even Adam was around.

Checking her phone she found no messages. As far as she knew Stella was still in court. Heading out the door Gene went to go find the woman.

Gene sat outside the room waiting. When Stella finally came out she smiled at her. “Hey. What the hell is going on?”

“What’d you mean?”

“No one is at the lab. Well I mean people are there but not our team.” She explained.

“Mac requested off. Danny and Shel are at a scene. Lindsey and Adam should still be around there.”

“Check your phone see if you got any messages. I tried with mine already and got none.” Stella waited until they were outside to see if she had a text or voice mail. Sure enough there was a message that they were on their way to the hospital.

“She went into labor we gotta get there.”

As they got into the car Gene pulled out her phone. “Find Danny, there’s a chance he might be at a scene.”  
“Gonna trade places with him?” Stella asked.

“I promised Lindsey that if I could I would make sure Danny was there. So you are going to the hospital, I’m going to take the car and go get him to trade places.”

~.0.~

That night at the hospital everyone smiled as Mac held the baby. “Come on Godfather take a picture.” Gene said pulling out a camera.

“Why do you have a camera?”

“Because it’s moments like that that you’ll wish you had pictures of. All the blood we see, murder death these pictures will be reminding us of what we do it for. The ability to turn a really bad day into a good one. Now smile.”

Everyone knew she had a point. “Came I get a copy of that picture?” Sheldon asked.

“You really want a picture of Mac in your place?” Flack teased.

“I’ll cover his face with mine.” 

They all laughed. It was moments like this that they would be grateful for those pictures.

~.o0o.~

“Have you heard anything yet?” Gene asked Lindsey.

“Not yet.” She replied. “Thought you couldn’t stand her?”

“I can’t, but that doesn’t mean I wanted to see her hurt. Don loves Angell and she makes him happy. I know everyone here is worried about her and I’m the one who looks out of whack because one minute we were talking and being friendly and the next I don’t say a word to her.” Gene replied.

Danny came back to the dinner and Mac gave an address to the group there. With a silent promise to herself Gene was going to see flack once this was all done. At least offer her sympathies. 

Suiting up Lindsey and Gene got themselves ready to go out with others before Stella stopped them. “You two are staying here. Lindsey you just had a baby and this could get dangerous. We lost one friend we aren’t losing anymore.”

“What about you?” Lindsey asked.

“Someone has to watch Mac’s back.” Stella replied.

“And me? I can do this, Stel.” Gene said. 

“I know you can. But I’m asking both of you to stay here.”

~.0.~

At the bar that night everyone but Mac was gathered around and in a sober mood. Flack nursing a beer and Gene wanting nothing more than to comfort him. 

As Mac joined them Stella continued on with her speech. It was something you ever would think happened to you. You never see yourself in that kind of situation. You feel like it’s something that only takes place in movies, and gangster films. That only happens to people involved with the mob.

The first shit shattered the glass and without any thought the all dropped to the floor, glass and alcohol spilling out onto the floor. Just as quickly as it had started it was over.

Before sound returned they saw the blood coming from under Danny. The claim that he couldn’t move his legs. Just as it seemed the nightmare was over it was going to continue.


	8. case six

Everyone was cooping in their own way. It had been a month and while the days seemed to get easier, the pain seemed to fade the thought was still there. 

Two days after the bar Gene went to go see Flack at his place. Knocking again she finally heard a reply. The door opened causing her to smile a little. “Hey Flack.” 

“Gene?”

“Would I look like anyone else?” she asked.

Flack frowned, he wasn’t in the mood to talk to her. He was still angry at her for the last encounter they had outside of the crime lab. “What are you doing here? I thought you couldn’t talk to me?”

Gene opened her mouth to try and protest it, before Don stopped her.

“Save it Gene. I don’t want to hear it.” He told her. Closing the door in her face he leaned against it on the inside of his apartment. 

“I’m sorry Donnie.” Gene left it at that. Leaving she headed off on her own.  
~.o0o.~

“Hey Wheels.” Gene greeted as she jogged past Danny.   
The blonde had to do a double take. “Did she just-“ 

Sheldon was doing his best not to laugh.

“Shut up!” Danny shoved him before pushing himself down the hall.

A few hours later Gene entered the AV lab. “Hey Adam, Shel, Wheels. Sheldon, Mac needs you down in the lab for a bit. Ada these are yours.” She said handing him a file before leaving them. 

“Sheldon, shut up.” Danny glared at him.

Doc left them to go see Mac. It was a week later that Danny had finally had enough. “Why do you keep calling me Wheels?”

“As a little more kick for you to work hard to get out of that chair. You’ve got Lucy to chase around. Teach to ride a bike, walk down the aisle and dance at her wedding.”

“You’re wrong,” Danny replied, “Because she’s never getting married. I don’t even want her looking at boys. You know what I’m just gonna send her to a convent.” 

Gene started laughing. “Danny, that girl is going to be more like you then you realize.”

“Don’t tell Lindsey that.” He replied. “And Gene, thanks. Because of you I have been working hard to get back on my feet.” Danny confessed. “But you’re gonna stop calling me wheels, or I’ll ram you in the ankles.”

“Deal.” Gene complied. 

“Hey Danny?”

“Yeh?”

“How’s Don?”

“So far, so good. Still not talking to you?” he asked.

“No. It’s alright, I did push him away, with jess added into the mix, I don’t blame him for being angry.” Gene replied.  
“Why can’t you just tell him why you had to stop talking to him?” Danny asked.   
“Because if I do he’ll hate me. You’ll find out because you’re his friend and you’ll hate me. I like this lab, this team. I love having you as my friends and I don’t want to lose you over something that would just go better if it isn’t talked about.”   
Danny raised his hands in surrender. “Alright. Don’t worry about Don, he’ll come round soon enough.”  
~.o0o.~  
Later that night when Danny found himself at home he went in search of Lindsey. “Lindsey?”

“Uh oh, Daddy’s using my first name, that’s never a good thing.” Lindsey told her infant daughter. 

“What’s wrong Danny?” 

“I know you know, what the deal is between Gene and Flack?”  
“Danny, I can’t tell you that, I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone.”

“Yeah, well if it’s involving my best friend I deserve to know, because maybe I can talk some sense into him.” Danny replied. 

“It’s not that easy.” 

“She said that already.”

“You have to swear you won’t bring this up, or over react.” 

“Deal. Now did someone threaten Gene to stay away from Flack?”

“Angell?”

“What?” Danny asked confused. 

“A while back when Flack and Angell started seeing each other, you know Flack and Gene would go out once a month just to hang out, get a break from all the jokes and name calling. Well Jess got sick of the two of them hanging out. When Gene was on leave after that fall down the stairs she said Jess came to see her, told her to stay away from Flack unless they were at a crime scene, or she’d make her regret it.” Lindsey explained. 

“Come on, Angell isn’t like that.”

“That’s what Gene said. She was cared you guys would hate her because of how close everyone was to Jess. That she was the outsider to this whole thing.”

Thinking on it Danny did know Jess to have a bit of a jealous strike. “Alright, thanks babe.”

“Remember you don’t say anything to anyone or I’ll roll you into the Hudson.”

“Then I better get out of this chair so I can run.” Danny replied.


	9. Chapter 9

“Hey, look at you, out of the chair and using a cane.” Gene smiled. 

“I swear if you crack an old man joke I’m going to have you babysit Lucy.” Danny replied. 

“I love that kid.” Gene smiled.

“I’ll feed her peas before I give her to you.” Danny added.

“That’s just being cruel.”   
~.o0o.~

Working in the lab with Danny, Sheldon noticed something. It wasn’t so much as he wasn’t noticing it before, but he hadn’t been able to put his finger on it.  
“Danny?”

“Yeah, Doc?” The blonde answered not looking up from his own work.

“What happened to your glasses?”  
“Lucy happened.” He replied. 

“What did she do?” he asked. 

“I out them on the table when I took a nap and she got her hands on them and they ended up on the floor, I stepped on them. The second pair I had ended up smashed by one of her toys.” He explained.

Sheldon tried to his best not to laugh but was flailing quickly.

“I hope when you have kids, they destroy your glasses.” Danny replied.

“That’s cold man.” Sheldon replied.  
~.o0o.~

Sighing Gene looked around the lab. Mac and Stella had gone off to a scene, Lindsey was going to meet them there from home and Danny would be there in the morning.

Sheldon was analyzing data from the Vic’s computer with Adam coming up with theories to bounce around. Gene was fighting to stay awake to at least have something to give Mac when he got back.

Finding her Ipod she put it on and set her phone out in a spot where she would be able to see it if someone called her. Picking a play list she found herself listening to the Mamma Mia soundtrack.

Looking around he didn’t see anyone coming and started to sing along and dance to the music.   
“Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight.” She sang, her hips bobbing side to side as she made a gimme gesture. “Won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away.” She continued making an away gesture with her hand.

Adam and Sheldon had been making their way back to her when they saw her dancing. Grabbing his phone Adam started to record the performance.

“Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight.” She went on. “Take me through the darkness to the break of the day.”

From the elevator Mac and Stella had seen her.  
“Are you a CSI or a show girl?” Mac asked with a smirk.

“I didn’t know you had a thing for ABBA.” Adam complimented from the other side. 

“You all suck.”

Stella throw an arm around her shoulder causing the younger woman to roll her eyes.   
~.o0o.~

One Gene’s next day off she set out with the task of getting a few things done for her place. She never expected bumping into Flack that day. 

“Hey.” Flack greeted.

“Hi, Flack. How are you?” 

“I’m doing alright. You?” He asked. He thought back to the last night they tried to talk. When she’d come by his apartment, try and talk to him.

“I’m fine. I’m glad to see you’re doing okay. I gotta go, don’t want to hold you up.” She said.

Don stopped her. “Gene, I’m sorry, about that night you came by.” He said. 

Gene gave him a curt nod before heading down the street. Just because they passed each other in that moment didn’t mean they were good friends again or even on proper speaking terms.  
~.o0o.~

“We knew he’d rear his ugly head again, wonder what made him take the break.” Gene stated.

“Maybe he realized we were hot on his tail. Took a break started focusing our sights elsewhere.” Mac replied. “We’re going to find him this time.”

“None of the sketches were exactly of the previous victims, they were general ideas.” Stella replied.

“That’s why it took him so long, he was waiting for the right face that matched the sketch. When he sees it the plan gets put into action.”

“Then we just have to stop him. Lindsey found some pieces of a sketch. General idea of who to look out for, Sheldon is trying to get an idea.”  
~.0.~

With the compass killer finally caught everyone decided to celebrate with dinner together. 

“And to remind us that life is fleeting and we should hold onto it while we can.” Stella added.

Gene chuckled, Stella always left them with something they would think about later. Sheldon announced that he would be moving into his new place. 

“House warming?” Gene asked. 

“Will you make your apple pie for it?” He asked.

“Of course. If she’s making that pie again, I’m definitely going.” Adam chimed in.

~.o0o.~  
Gene rolled her eyes. For the late half hour she’d heard nothing but Adam’s muttering and grumbling about the part time tech. 

“Adam!”

“What?” he answered turning around. 

“If you don’t shut up, I will gag you with your own sock.” Gene replied putting her gloves in the trash. “I’m going to kill Danny.” She said walking away.  
She loved Adam. She’d do anything she could for him but him and his motor mouth required a great level of patience. 

~.o0o.~

Walking onto the scene Gene frowned as Sheldon started laughing at her. “You and that damn scarf.” He was almost doubled over. 

“Shut up Lesley.” 

“How did you find that out?” he asked, no longer laughing and his face serious.

“I have my ways.” She grinned.

“Still an ugly scarf.” Sheldon muttered. 

“Hey,” Gene called to Lindsey, “Sheldon’s middle name is Lesley!”  
Lindsey choked on a laugh.

A snow ball hit her in the back. “I’ll get you for that.” Gene promised.

~.o0o.~

Mac looked over at Sheldon who seemed to be scouting the area.

“What?”

“I’m looking for Gene. She hates the cold and will come out here wrapped up like a two year old in a snow suit.” Sheldon laughed.

“I thought I had a group of mature adults working on my team. Seems I was wrong and got a bunch of immature adolences.” Mac sighed. “Gene isn’t coming, she said she’d rather go through seven dozen sets of fingers prints than be stuck out in the cold.”

~.o0o.~

“Gene shook her head. What a way to trust people. People you called your friends and they do this to you.” She said. 

“Gene?” Mac asked.

“People who care about you aren’t supposed to do this to people you care about.” Gene ranted. 

“Hey, what’s this about?” Mac asked. 

“I can’t stay on this case, Mac, I’m sorry.”

~.0.~

Gene walked into Mac’s office. “You wanted to see me?” she asked. 

“I was hoping that by this point in you being here that you didn’t just see me as your boss but as a friend.” He said. 

“I do. But-“

“Skeletons in the closet?”  
“There’s one. I left it, at the time I was young and stupid.” Gene said.

“I don’t want the story. Some cases bother us more than others. You’re entitled to have your moments. But you can still come to us, myself, Stella’s door is also open.”

“Thanks Mac.”

“No problem.” He said.

~.o0o.~

Christmas time was in and around. They all felt it, and after one nasty case Gene and Lindsey got the idea to throw a Christmas party.

They would have it at Gene’s place, less mess due to a lack of kids. 

“So Flack you gonna be there?” Danny asked. 

“Be where?”

“The Christmas party Montana and Gene got cooked up.” He replied. 

“I don’t think Gene would wat me around.” Flack answered. 

“She always asks about how you are. You should talk to her, put this whole thing under the bridge.” Danny replied. 

“I don’t think it’ll happen.” Done replied.

“It can. Gene has been trying to but we all saw how you were hitting bottom after Jess. She couldn’t, not with the way you were, now you’re clean, you’ve gotten it together, you can talk to her, listen to what she has to say.” Danny told him.

“What makes you so sur about that man?”

“The reason Gene stopped talking to you, was because of Jess. Jess told her to stay away from you. She was jealous of the time you were spending with Gene. Jess threatened her, and what with everything she could get her hands on, Gene thought it was in her best interest to stay away.” Danny explained.

Flack opened his mouth to protest, but he and Danny had been friends for a long time. He knew that Danny would never lie to him. “I need to think about it.”

Danny sighed. 

Later that night everyone was in Gene’s apartment, laughing and sharing case stories. Stories of holiday mishaps and childhood adventures. The knock on the door brought them all out of it. 

“I’ve got it.” Gene said getting up to get to the door. 

On the other side of it Flack stood there, wearing a black sweater, leather jacket and blue jeans.

“Hey Gene.” He greeted.

“Hi, Don. Good to see you.” She replied.

“I found out what was said, I’d like to put it behind us and have my friend back.” Flack told her.

“I’d like that.” Gene smiled. Come on in.” she side stepping aside so he could enter.

“Wait, wait!” Stella called out.

“What?” Sid asked looking around.

“Mistletoe you two.”

“Stella, no.” Gene replied. 

Flack’s ears got a little red with embarrassment. As he leaned over to give Gene a quick peck to the lips.

There was a series of cat calls, and wolf whistles. Pulling out a Camera more pictures were taken to save the happy moments.


	10. Chapter 10

“Closing up this case was harder than it needed to be and I could use a drink.” Gene said. 

“With your favorite drinking buddy?” Flack asked. 

“Of course, it’s no fun to drink alone.” She smiled.

Getting out onto the street Gene looked across the street and froze on the steps. A bus went by and the face she had seen was gone.

“Gene you alright?” Flack asked. 

“Yeah, sorry, lost in thought.” She said.

But the moment weighed on her. So much so they she put another lock on the door for precaution. Was it possible he’d found her?

*Flashback*

“Come on, Babe, stop being so stuck up and try it.”

“I said no Kyle. I’m done.” She said pulling away from him. “I don’t want to do this anymore, I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

In a rage Kyle grabbed Gene and forced her down to give her the hot of heroin. Drinking, smoking weed was all they had ever done up until a few weeks ago. Nothing more, there was no reason for anything more. She hadn’t been like him. She wanted more out of her life, she knew what she wanted to do and wanted to clean up to pursue her dreams. She wanted more.  
As she came around from the haze she remembered seeing him on his own, laid out and in a sort of daze. Getting up she tried to get to the door but stumbled, unable to find her footing. 

“Where you goin’?” he slurred picking himself. 

“Away from you!” the teen shouted.

Kyle grabbed her hair forcing her back and onto the floor. A cry of people leaving her.

“Let me go Kyle, I don’t want this anymore!”

The first thing the girl got her hands on she brought it around to hit him over the head.

Clutching his skull Kyle went after the dark haired girl. Grabbing her he pulled her back to him. “Stop it baby, I only did it because I love you.” He said. 

Pushing backwards with all her weight she slammed him into the wall causing him to hit his head. Kyle let the girl go allowing her to escape.

Two weeks later, he was arrested for possession of gun and drugs. It was a sigh of relief as he was tried as an adult and sent off.

*End flash back*

“Penny for your thoughts?” 

“Jesus Christ.” Gene jumped. Her hand had flown to her chest as if to keep her heart in. Placing her hands on the table to steady herself she took a breath before straightening up to look at Mac.

“Hey Mac.” She greeted. 

“You okay?”

“Fine, I was lost in thought.” She replied. “Nothing serious or important, I got that information you wanted.” She said handing him the folder.

“Thanks, now go home Gene. You’ve been here over night for the last four days. Go home, get some rest and don’t come in until the day after tomorrow. That’s an order.”

Gene nodded as she gathered up her things and headed home. It had been about two months since she saw her ex-boyfriend’s face across the street. 

Getting home gene locked the doors and settled down for a moments. A hot shower and a phone call later she was waiting on her couch for her food from the pizza shop.

The boy had quickly given it to her. Taking his tip and payment before leaving. It took Gene a moment to realize he’d forgotten the soda to go with it. Sticking the recite to the side she’d save it for later and take it down herself. The shop was good about given their customers a credit if something was forgotten, until she heard another knock on the door.  
“For once you remembered it Tommy,” Gene chuckled as she opened the door only to see her nightmare standing before her.

“Hey Baby.”  
“Kyle.” She spat.

“The one and only.”

Gene felt a panic rise in her, her gun was in her bedroom. “You can’t be here.” 

“But I missed you. Remember how good we were together?” HE asked. 

“We weren’t good together. We were stupid kids, and you had me drugged out of my mind.” Gene answered. Not wanting to touch him or even be close to him, Gene backed up and Kyle only entered her place further, closing the door behind.

“I spent years in a prison because of you.” He said. 

“You put yourself in that damn cell. You were the idiot not me.”

“I’m going to make you pay for it.”

Gene bolted for the kitchen to get to the kitchen phone only until Kyle grabbed her. The struggle was a hard one, Gene using everything she could remember about self-defense and simply trying to get away from him.   
~.o0o.~

Mac frowned when he didn’t see Gene come into work. It worried him when she didn’t answer his call. Looking at the time he remembered putting Lindsey and Danny down for a later shift.  
“Lindsey, have you and Danny headed out the door?”

“No, we’re just walking out the door now.” Lindsey replied.

“Do me a favor, swing by Gene’s apartment on your way to check on her. Call me when you find out something.”

“Sure thing Mac.” 

“What did Mac want Babe?” Danny asked. 

“He wants us to swing by Gene’s place check on her.” Lindsey replied.

~.o0o.~

Arriving at Gene’s place Danny knocked and listened. He didn’t hear anything. “You got the spar key to her place?” Danny asked. 

With his hand on his gun just in case he let Lindsey open the door. Stepping into the apartment They both frowned, Lindsey getting out her phone to call Mac back.

“You there?”

“Yeah.”

“We got to Gene’s place, there’s been a struggle.” She said. 

“Alright, you and Danny stay there, Stella, myself and Flack are on the way.”  
“She’s not here, nothing to say she’s been here since whenever this happened. Her badge and gun are both here, I found her phone in the bedroom.” Danny said coming back to Lindsey.

“There’s no sign of forced entry.” Lindsey replied.

“Then she knew her kidnapper and attacker.”

“But what if she’s dead Danny?” Lindsey questioned. 

“I don’t see any blood, unless they cleaned it all. We’ll find out when the others get here.”

Twenty minutes later the others showed up.

“Full pizza here, think the pizza guy got pissed she didn’t tip him?” Danny asked.

“That’s not funny Danny.” Lindsey replied.

“I’m sorry, just trying to lighten the mood a bit.” Danny replied. He didn’t want to picture his friend dead. Somewhere scattered about the city in pieces or being held at someone’s mercy.

Stella checked Gene’s cell phone. “So she made a call to the pizza place around one.” She said. 

“It was about eleven or so when I told her to go home.” Mac said.   
“I found a towel and the clothes you was wearing the other morning in the hamper so she must have showered before ordering.” Lindsey replied.

“The pizza place she called is right down the street.” Flack said.

“Hey look here, recite from the other day, one large mushroom and onion pie and a two liter.” Danny said, picking the paper off the floor.

“So she either was expecting someone to come over or eat the pizza by herself.” Stella commented.

“Stella you and I to the shop, you guys stay here see what else you can find, see if you can piece anything together. Flack start questioning the people who live here.” Mac ordered.

“On it.” Flack replied. 

~.0.~

The throbbing pain at the back of her head made gene wince as she tried to pull herself together. Where was she? It came back to her, Kyle had shown up at her place.

“You finally awake baby?” Kyle asked.

“Get off me.” Gene growled. 

“Here have this, it’ll calm you down.” 

Gene wanted to fight, to get away from him, but she found herself bound to a chair. The drug was cold as it entered her veins. The effects started up a few moments later.

~.0.~

“Tommy, have you seen this woman before?” Mac asked.

“Yeah, that’s Ms. Gene. She’s down the street, I just delivered a pizza to her the other day.” He said. 

“When you saw her what do you remember about her appearance? Anything, any little detail. What was she wearing, was there anyone with her?”

“Her hair was wet like she’d just gotten out of the shower, she was wearing shorts and a tank top. I gave her the pizza and left.” Tommy replied.

Both Mac and Stella sighed feeling like they hit a dead end.

“Oh, um…I forgot her soda and went back to give it to her, when I went there was a guy there, said he was her boyfriend, and would take it up. He even tipped me.”

“Thanks Tommy.” Mac said heading back to the apartment with Stella.

“Alright, the delivery boy, said he dropped off the pizza but forgot Gene’s soda, was coming back to give it to her when he said her ‘boyfriend’ said he would bring it up.”

“That’s not right. With the way she was spending time at the lab lately there was no way she had a boyfriend.” Lindsey said. “That and she would have told me.”

“Maybe it’s an old enemy that followed her from Jersey?” Flack asked.

“What did you find out from the neighbors?” Stella asked.

“Not much. Most of the people who live here, work, so they were either sleep because they work th night shift or out to work. I got some answers from a woman down stairs, she said there was a lot of thumping and bumping but thought it was two people going at it.” HE replied.

“Any finger prints?”

“A few, from the sink and from the door.” Lindsey answered.

“Get them back to the lab start running them. Don get Gene’s picture out. We’re going to go talk to Gene’s parents.”


	11. Case seven

“Closing up this case was harder than it needed to be and I could use a drink.” Gene said. 

“With your favorite drinking buddy?” Flack asked. 

“Of course, it’s no fun to drink alone.” She smiled.

Getting out onto the street Gene looked across the street and froze on the steps. A bus went by and the face she had seen was gone.

“Gene you alright?” Flack asked. 

“Yeah, sorry, lost in thought.” She said.

But the moment weighed on her. So much so they she put another lock on the door for precaution. Was it possible he’d found her?

*Flashback*

“Come on, Babe, stop being so stuck up and try it.”

“I said no Kyle. I’m done.” She said pulling away from him. “I don’t want to do this anymore, I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

In a rage Kyle grabbed Gene and forced her down to give her the hot of heroin. Drinking, smoking weed was all they had ever done up until a few weeks ago. Nothing more, there was no reason for anything more. She hadn’t been like him. She wanted more out of her life, she knew what she wanted to do and wanted to clean up to pursue her dreams. She wanted more.  
As she came around from the haze she remembered seeing him on his own, laid out and in a sort of daze. Getting up she tried to get to the door but stumbled, unable to find her footing. 

“Where you goin’?” he slurred picking himself. 

“Away from you!” the teen shouted.

Kyle grabbed her hair forcing her back and onto the floor. A cry of people leaving her.

“Let me go Kyle, I don’t want this anymore!”

The first thing the girl got her hands on she brought it around to hit him over the head.

Clutching his skull Kyle went after the dark haired girl. Grabbing her he pulled her back to him. “Stop it baby, I only did it because I love you.” He said. 

Pushing backwards with all her weight she slammed him into the wall causing him to hit his head. Kyle let the girl go allowing her to escape.

Two weeks later, he was arrested for possession of gun and drugs. It was a sigh of relief as he was tried as an adult and sent off.

*End flash back*

“Penny for your thoughts?” 

“Jesus Christ.” Gene jumped. Her hand had flown to her chest as if to keep her heart in. Placing her hands on the table to steady herself she took a breath before straightening up to look at Mac.

“Hey Mac.” She greeted. 

“You okay?”

“Fine, I was lost in thought.” She replied. “Nothing serious or important, I got that information you wanted.” She said handing him the folder.

“Thanks, now go home Gene. You’ve been here over night for the last four days. Go home, get some rest and don’t come in until the day after tomorrow. That’s an order.”

Gene nodded as she gathered up her things and headed home. It had been about two months since she saw her ex-boyfriend’s face across the street. 

Getting home gene locked the doors and settled down for a moments. A hot shower and a phone call later she was waiting on her couch for her food from the pizza shop.

The boy had quickly given it to her. Taking his tip and payment before leaving. It took Gene a moment to realize he’d forgotten the soda to go with it. Sticking the recite to the side she’d save it for later and take it down herself. The shop was good about given their customers a credit if something was forgotten, until she heard another knock on the door.  
“For once you remembered it Tommy,” Gene chuckled as she opened the door only to see her nightmare standing before her.

“Hey Baby.”  
“Kyle.” She spat.

“The one and only.”

Gene felt a panic rise in her, her gun was in her bedroom. “You can’t be here.” 

“But I missed you. Remember how good we were together?” HE asked. 

“We weren’t good together. We were stupid kids, and you had me drugged out of my mind.” Gene answered. Not wanting to touch him or even be close to him, Gene backed up and Kyle only entered her place further, closing the door behind.

“I spent years in a prison because of you.” He said. 

“You put yourself in that damn cell. You were the idiot not me.”

“I’m going to make you pay for it.”

Gene bolted for the kitchen to get to the kitchen phone only until Kyle grabbed her. The struggle was a hard one, Gene using everything she could remember about self-defense and simply trying to get away from him.   
~.o0o.~

Mac frowned when he didn’t see Gene come into work. It worried him when she didn’t answer his call. Looking at the time he remembered putting Lindsey and Danny down for a later shift.  
“Lindsey, have you and Danny headed out the door?”

“No, we’re just walking out the door now.” Lindsey replied.

“Do me a favor, swing by Gene’s apartment on your way to check on her. Call me when you find out something.”

“Sure thing Mac.” 

“What did Mac want Babe?” Danny asked. 

“He wants us to swing by Gene’s place check on her.” Lindsey replied.

~.o0o.~

Arriving at Gene’s place Danny knocked and listened. He didn’t hear anything. “You got the spar key to her place?” Danny asked. 

With his hand on his gun just in case he let Lindsey open the door. Stepping into the apartment They both frowned, Lindsey getting out her phone to call Mac back.

“You there?”

“Yeah.”

“We got to Gene’s place, there’s been a struggle.” She said. 

“Alright, you and Danny stay there, Stella, myself and Flack are on the way.”  
“She’s not here, nothing to say she’s been here since whenever this happened. Her badge and gun are both here, I found her phone in the bedroom.” Danny said coming back to Lindsey.

“There’s no sign of forced entry.” Lindsey replied.

“Then she knew her kidnapper and attacker.”

“But what if she’s dead Danny?” Lindsey questioned. 

“I don’t see any blood, unless they cleaned it all. We’ll find out when the others get here.”

Twenty minutes later the others showed up.

“Full pizza here, think the pizza guy got pissed she didn’t tip him?” Danny asked.

“That’s not funny Danny.” Lindsey replied.

“I’m sorry, just trying to lighten the mood a bit.” Danny replied. He didn’t want to picture his friend dead. Somewhere scattered about the city in pieces or being held at someone’s mercy.

Stella checked Gene’s cell phone. “So she made a call to the pizza place around one.” She said. 

“It was about eleven or so when I told her to go home.” Mac said.   
“I found a towel and the clothes you was wearing the other morning in the hamper so she must have showered before ordering.” Lindsey replied.

“The pizza place she called is right down the street.” Flack said.

“Hey look here, recite from the other day, one large mushroom and onion pie and a two liter.” Danny said, picking the paper off the floor.

“So she either was expecting someone to come over or eat the pizza by herself.” Stella commented.

“Stella you and I to the shop, you guys stay here see what else you can find, see if you can piece anything together. Flack start questioning the people who live here.” Mac ordered.

“On it.” Flack replied. 

~.0.~

The throbbing pain at the back of her head made gene wince as she tried to pull herself together. Where was she? It came back to her, Kyle had shown up at her place.

“You finally awake baby?” Kyle asked.

“Get off me.” Gene growled. 

“Here have this, it’ll calm you down.” 

Gene wanted to fight, to get away from him, but she found herself bound to a chair. The drug was cold as it entered her veins. The effects started up a few moments later.

~.0.~

“Tommy, have you seen this woman before?” Mac asked.

“Yeah, that’s Ms. Gene. She’s down the street, I just delivered a pizza to her the other day.” He said. 

“When you saw her what do you remember about her appearance? Anything, any little detail. What was she wearing, was there anyone with her?”

“Her hair was wet like she’d just gotten out of the shower, she was wearing shorts and a tank top. I gave her the pizza and left.” Tommy replied.

Both Mac and Stella sighed feeling like they hit a dead end.

“Oh, um…I forgot her soda and went back to give it to her, when I went there was a guy there, said he was her boyfriend, and would take it up. He even tipped me.”

“Thanks Tommy.” Mac said heading back to the apartment with Stella.

“Alright, the delivery boy, said he dropped off the pizza but forgot Gene’s soda, was coming back to give it to her when he said her ‘boyfriend’ said he would bring it up.”

“That’s not right. With the way she was spending time at the lab lately there was no way she had a boyfriend.” Lindsey said. “That and she would have told me.”

“Maybe it’s an old enemy that followed her from Jersey?” Flack asked.

“What did you find out from the neighbors?” Stella asked.

“Not much. Most of the people who live here, work, so they were either sleep because they work the night shift or out to work. I got some answers from a woman down stairs, she said there was a lot of thumping and bumping but thought it was two people going at it.” HE replied.

“Any finger prints?”

“A few, from the sink and from the door.” Lindsey answered.

“Get them back to the lab start running them. Don get Gene’s picture out. We’re going to go talk to Gene’s parents.”


	12. Chapter 12

The drive into Jersey wasn’t a very long one. Turning up at the Funeral home her parents owned they walked in.

“Hello, can I help you?” Ms. Bennet asked.

“Hello, are you Mrs. Bennet?”

“I am.” She replied.

“I’m Detective Taylor, this is my partner Detective Bonasera, we work with your daughter Imogene at the New York crime lab.”

“Ah yes, she’s told me about you. She wasn’t kidding when she said you were always serious.” IT was easy to tell where Gene had gotten her smile from.

“Well now is a very serious matter.” Mac replied. 

“Mrs. Bennet is your husband around?”

“Yes, just one moment.” She said. Going down stairs she came back up with her husband. They both wore black, though Gene’s father didn’t have a jacket on with his suit, but he did wear a canvas apron.

“How can I help you?” he asked.

“Your daughter Gene does she have any enemies?” Stella asked.

“Wait, what is going on here?”

Mac explained what happened and how they found themselves standing before them. “My daughter has no enemies that we know of. He never told us a lot about work and if she was getting threats then we never heard of it.” He said.

“Gene was pretty well liked. I can’t think of anyone expect Kyle Carter but we went to prison years ago and should still be serving his sentence.” Mr. Bennet replied.

“Who was he?”

“Her boyfriend when she was seventeen.” Mrs. Bennet replied. 

“Anything you can tell us about their relationship at that time?” Mac asked.

“No, at that time, Gene was going through that rebellious stage. Whatever she was doing she still managed to keep her grades up in a decent range so we didn’t worry too much.”

“Any friends she had who might have more information about him?” Stella questioned. 

“Yes, she had a friend Hannah Johnson she’s an ER doctor now.” Mrs. Bennet wrote the name down while Stella and Mac followed the next lead. 

~.o0o.~

“Hey Mac, we found some traces of blood they got back to Gene and for the moment and unknown male suspect.” Danny informed.

“Alright, thanks Danny.” 

At the hospital they talked to Hannah. 

“One weekend while her folks were away she told them she was staying with me. She lied she went to go stay wherever it was Kyle was. She wanted to break up with him. She wanted to get away from him because she had dreams and ideas of what she wanted to do with her life and they didn’t involve him. HE got pissed off, roughed her up a bit and drugged her.” Hannah replied.

“With what?”

“She doesn’t remember. Gene wasn’t the type for drugs. We did the kid things, stole some alcohol from our folks, got a little weed, but that wasn’t enough for Kyle. He wanted something stronger and she didn’t.”

“IT was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Mac answered.

“Exactly. But he wasn’t letting her go that easily. She fought him but he still drugged her, she was gone all weekend, I was panicking until she showed up at my place. It wasn’t an easy few days after that. Two weeks after she was on the mend and he went to jail with a few charges.”

“We spoke to Gene’s parents they said he was in jail still.”

“I don’t know, Gene never told me about the sentencing. She never went and she never testified against him. She didn’t want to be there, from what I remember he was getting enough years because of what happened when he was arrested.”

Heading out Stella called Adam giving her a name to look up on.

~.0.~

“Hey baby, did you have a fun trip?” Kyle asked.

“What trip?” Gene slurred. Lifting her head she shook it trying to wake herself up.

“You still love me don’t you? What you said you were only mad at me?” He said.

“Go to hell, I hate you.” She replied. 

Kyle back handed her across the face. 

“Let me go! I swear you’ll pay for this!” she shouted at him.   
“No, I won’t we’re going to be together like I wanted us to be.” 

~.0.~

Getting into the lab Mac, Stel and the rest of the team gathered together.

“Adam you first.”

“That name you gave me, Kyle Carter, he went to jail at seventeen, he was tried as an adult, doing the math Gene would have been sixteen at that time.” Adam explained.

“So the time line is right.” 

“He got out about six months ago on good behavior. Few weeks back he stopped checking in with his parole officer.” 

“We got prints from Gene on the kitchen phone, she tried to call for help. He went after her, she fought back. I don’t think he was expecting her to fight back like she did.” Sheldon replied.

“We found a vase with blood on it. The blood is Gene’s, and we got his prints off of it. He had to hit her over the head to get her to go down.”

“Then somewhere in the time that he attacked her and this morning, he must have moved her.” Danny replied.

“But how?” Sheldon asked.

“He’s got her drugged. He has to. We talk to a friend of Gen’s from around the time she was dating Carter. He drugged her then, she didn’t want to be on drugs. It might be keeping her in a haze, making her malleable to whatever he says.” Stella replied.

“We just have to find him.”

“Lindsey call Flack, have him put put Gene and Carter’s pictures, hopefully someone will give us something.”

~.0.~

When Gene came around she felt how dry her mouth was, how much. Listening to what was around her she heard snoring. Biting her lip Gene started to pull and stretch the cord that Kyle had wrapped around her wrists.

Standing up she frowned as the floor creaked under her, Kyle didn’t move nor did he wake. It was dark inside the building, and it smelled. Tipping toeing to the door she stopped when Kyle called her.

“Where do you think you going?”

“I was going to get us something to eat. I remember how you were always so hungry after we had a round. Remember, I wanted to fix you something.” She said.

“You aren’t going anywhere, you hear me?”

Getting up he stumbled a bit. Grabbing her Gene cried out at his grip. “Please let me go.” She begged. 

~.o0o.~

It had been two days since the steam had discovered Gene was taken, four since she was actually taken. 

Flack all but ran into gene’s office, “They got a hit on Carter. He was seen around here, this is a known hot spot for drug dealers. Lot of boarded up buildings he could be squatting, and could have Gene is one of these buildings.” Flack said pointing out the area on a map. 

It was a small spot. And it most certainly was known for drugs. 

Mac nodded. “Round everyone up in the conference room.” 

Gathered about in the conference room they all waited for Flack to explain what he’d found out.

“So what are we waiting for?” Adam asked.

“We can’t just rush in. We don’t have a solid location or building. We could be searching for hours and do more harm than good. We just have to buy more time.” Mac replied.  
“She might not have more time Mac.” Sheldon replied.

“And that’s a risk we have to take. Rushing in there with guns blazing might get her killed. I care about Gene just like you guys do but I want to see her come home safe rather than finding a dead body.”

Sheldon nodded. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

They were all feeling it. Just the same as they’d felt it after Jess, and after Danny’s accident, even when Mac had been hurt. 

“Stop it.” Flack told them. 

“She’s not dead, and we need to stop acting like she is. We’re mourning her and we don’t even have a body, and I’m not doing it again.”  
~.0.~

Later that night there was a call that came through. Kyle had been seen again. Only this time he didn’t know he had been followed. 

Just after midnight they were ready with a team of people behind them. 

Kyle jumped to his feet, puling Gene with him as he backed himself up to the window, using Gene as a shield. The door burst open and Mac and Danny came in with two others. 

“Back off or I’ll shoot her!” Kyle threatened.

Danny gave him a confused look. “He does realize that’s not a gun?”

“He’s on drugs Danny, and god only knows what they are. But if he’s been drugging Gene then they’re in her system too.”

Whatever happened next was lost to Gene, it all happened in a blur, the needle entering her skin as Kyle stick her anyway. The bullet entered Kyle’s shoulder, letting go of Gene he shoved her away from him, letting her collapse to the floor. Danny ran to her side, picking her up to get her out as Mac had ordered. 

Outside there was a blur of lights, and people and that’s when Gene started to fight against him as the drug started to kick in.

~.0.~

The trip was only beginning. Getting to the precinct they locked Gene into an interrogation room without the table and chairs. It was the safest way to handle it. The trip to the hospital was to long and dangerous. Had they gotten her to the hospital they would only restrain her and with the way she was fighting Gene was a danger to herself until she came down from the trip.

Fifteen long hours before Gene was finally out of it enough to recognize Flack outside the door of the room. After being transported to the hospital and looked over with a few tests taken and sent over to the crime lab they took shifts in staying by her side until she was lucid enough to talk about what happened. 

The harder part was telling it to Mac. 

“Am I fired?” she asked.

“No, But you are on leave for a while. Make sure you’re clean, some counseling about what happened. We’ll bring you back into the lab slowly. Don’t think you have to do this alone, we are all here for you.” Mac told her. 

“And Kyle?”

“Is going away for a very long time.”

“He can get up to thirty years for what he did as far as the drugs and kidnapping are concerned. There’s still more on that lovely rap sheet of his since he got out of prison.” Sheldon said as he entered the room.

“Hey Shel.” Gene said as she hugged him.

“This is for you.” He said handing her the paper. “Everything we tested you for and the results.”

Taking the paper she red over it unable to believe everything he’d given her. The last part brought tears to her eyes. 

“It’s not protocol, and technically we aren’t supposed to do it but we figured it would be best for you now. The hospital still took a test as well, but so far it looks like you might be in the clear.” Sheldon replied.

“Thank you Sheldon. So any idea when I get out of here?” she asked looking between the two of them.

“Soon. Stella went back to your place to get some clothes for you. Gene, I want you to talk to Stella about what happened at your apartment. You’ll know what I mean when it happens.” Mac said. 

A couple hours later Gene was signed out and headed for her place with Stella. “We came in and cleaned it up a bit. The crew got the blood.” Stella said. 

Gene shook her head. “I can’t stay here.” She said. 

Wrapping an arm around Gene’s shoulder eh pulled her close. “Few years ago, I had a boyfriend and he broke into my place. Attacked me, I put three bullets in his chest and when I finally went back to my place I couldn’t do it. I had to leave. I didn’t feel safe anymore. I got a new place.”

“Come on, you can stay with me, I’ll help you find a new place.” Stella said. 

“Thank you, Stel.”


	13. Chapter 13

After a week at Stella’s Gene had finished cleaning out her apartment and moved everything into storage. Going to see her parents she stayed with them while going to a counselor about the Kyle incident. IT was only a month later that they were dealing with Shane Casey again.

She felt powerless to help since she wasn’t on duty and Mac hadn’t cleared her for the lab.

After two months it came out that Stella would be moving to New Orleans and she offered her soon to be empty apartment to Gene rather than her still looking for a place. After thanking the woman a million times over for her kindness as help over the last few weeks Gene moved in, a week after Stella left.

After four months Mac finally let her back into the lab. She’d spent time with her friends outside of the lab everyone coming to check on her and calling to see how she was making out, but nothing really beat the lab. IT was twisted to think of the lab as a happy place but it was where she had met her New York family.

Mac gave her set times and wanted them followed. Not to be in before eight in the morning and to leave no later than six in the evening. No weekends in the lab. While out on leave Gene found herself babysitting Lucy quite a bit. Not that she didn’t enjoy it. But she was ready to get back to work.

After meeting Stella’s replacement, well she wasn’t a replacement. She would never take Stella’s place, while she meant well and wanted to help and be part of the team she was just there much like Gene had been when she started.

“Hey Gene mind joining me for a crime scene?” Jo asked.

“I can’t, Mac wants me here at the lab.” Gene replied. 

Jo frowned. “Okay.”

Later that day Jo asked Mac why Gene was confided to the lab why her hours were strict and that she wasn’t there on weeks like some of the others at times.

“Few months ago she was on a case and it caused a bit of harm, and I’m letting her back into the lab slowly. I don’t want to overwhelm her.” Mac replied.

“Ah understood.” Jo replied. “When will she be back in the field?”

“Only time will tell.” Mac replied.

~.o0o.~

Upon hearing about the girl that had been killed on camera with Adam watching Gene went in search of her symbolic little brother.

Well he certainly wasn’t little, but he was young than Gene, his nervous ticks and habits making seem like a little kid. The jokes and smile he always tried to wear even the way his brows knitted together when he was concentrating.

Gene entered the AV lab offering Adam a small smile before she hugged him. “It’s gonna be okay.” She told him.

Adam would always come by her place with a game or movie to make her smile. He brought her smiles when she found them hard to find. Adam had a moment as Gene rubbed his back to comfort him. 

“Brought you a little pick me up.” Gene said. 

“Gene no.” Adam protested as she held the bakery bag out to him. 

“Peanut butter cookies.” She said. 

“Thank you.”

“You, little brother, are always welcome.”

~.o0o.~

Gen’s first case in the field she was ready for it. Ready and kind of excited like she had been for her first.

“Hey look who is back in action.” Flack commented.

“Hello to you too.” Gene smiled. 

Flack half hugged her. He hadn’t seen much of Gene. While he did visit her it was hard when you were pulled away on cases every other minute.

“Who you trying to impress with that hair?” Gene asked.

“”Absolutely no one. So shall we go back to our tradition of beers after a case?” He asked.

“Of course. But from now on have them give you my beer closed.” She said.

“I can remember that.” Flack replied. 

~.o0o.~

Danny clapped Flack on the shoulder. “Gene’s been around what four five years now right?” Danny asked.

“Yeah.” Flack answered.

Danny started laughing. “When you two were going at each other’s throats in the beginning we made bets about when you would get together.” 

“You’re kidding me right?” Flack asked. 

“Nah.” He replied. “Even Mac and Stella were I on it.”

“What were the guidelines?” Flack asked.

“Five bucks for three year or less, ten for three or more. Twenty if you got together and haven’t told anyone, years don’t matter.” Danny explained.

The pair were so into their conversation they didn’t notice that Gene had come into the bar to join them. Now listening to the conversation she waited to hear more.

“So now my only questioned is, why not date Gene?” Danny asked. “Look I know you and Jess were tight and everything, and you loved her to bits. But you do all this hanging out with Gene and never once entertained the thought?”

“Yeah I thought about it. Gene is cool and all but she’s not for me. Gene’s just a really good friend that I hang out with, she’s one of those female friends you can do guy stuff with. Have beer, crack jokes and even watch a decent game.” Don replied. 

“So what’s the turn off?”

“I don’t know, maybe it’s the way she dresses. Gene is always wearing sneakers or combat boots. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her I a blouse or dress shirt. She dresses like Adam does, t shirt with a shirt over that. Never seen a pair of heels on that woman.” Don confessed.

“Wow, that is messed up.” Danny replied.

“No it’s not. Is it wrong? I’d just like a woman I could, take out and show off, not just for her smarts but her beauty as well.”

“She is beautiful.” Danny replied.

Don arched a brow as he looked at his friend. 

“Hey don’t give me that look. Lindsey is still the most beautiful woman in the world to me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think other women can be beautiful too.” Danny said. “But seriously, you wouldn’t give her a chance?” 

“Maybe I would.” Flack replied. 

By this point Gene had gone off on her own. 

“I really do like her. I don’t have a crush on her, no. But maybe I was catching feelings for her around the time I met Jess and then all that time apart I thought she hated me, I didn’t get to hang out with her and the feelings left. Okay maybe I do have a crush on her.”

“But?”

“They are coming back, I just don’t know if she’d give it a shot. That or I’m doing way too much drinking and thinking and talking to your ass.” Flack said shoving at his blonde haired friend.

~.0.~

Flack wasn’t lying though. He really did like Gene. She was smart and funny just like Jess, but that wasn’t fair to her. She wasn’t Jess. She didn’t deserve the constant comparison.

Over the next week Gene changed things up a bit. She wore outfits more like Lindsey’s and Jo’s. She even added a bit of make, little blush, tinted lip gloss, eyeliner and mascara.

“Have you noticed anything different?” Jo asked Mac.

“Was I supposed to?”

“Gene is trying to impress someone.”

“Why do you say that?” Mac asked suddenly very interested. He remembers the bet they had gotten in on years ago.

Jo gave Mac an odd look but continued, “She’s changed her appearance a bit. She’s wearing her hair down, her outfits look like the ones that Lindsey likes to put together, she’s even wearing makeup.” 

“Have you seen her talking to anyone in the lab?” Mac asked. 

“What is this about Mac?” Jo asked. 

“When Gene joined the lab she met Flack on less than pleasurable circumstances, they were at each other for months, hurling insults and nothing more. But they respected each other, then they started hanging out for drinks outside of the lab once a month without insults and they became friends. There’s a bet running of when they will get together.” He explained.

“You guys are terrible.” Jo replied. “I can’t believe you would do such a thing.”

“Hey if they can bet whether I would yell at Danny for doing something or other we can bet on them too. Besides I doubt they know about it. We kept it hidden this long.”

~.o0o.~

Adam and Gene had just found something that could finally help them break the case. The two were going a bit faster down the hall then they should have been causing Gene to bump into Flack. 

“Sorry, Flack, can’t talk.” She said.

Flack was surprised to see all her black hair cascading over her shoulders. She always had hair ties, she must have forgotten them.  
The next time Flack saw her he did notice the light make up and clothes she was. Flack frowned at that but didn’t say anything as he went to find Lindsey.

“Hey Linds.” 

“Yeah Flack?”

“Does Gene have a boyfriend?”

“How the heck should I know?” The Montana native answered.

“Because you’re her best friend, she tells you everything.” He replied.

“Not everything.”

“Oh c’mon all you women do is talk.” He replied.

“Why does it bother you so much if she has a boyfriend? If she does and you want an answer just go ask Gene.” Lindsey said. The look on Flack’s face told her why he couldn’t ask her.

“You’re jealous.” She said.

Flack blushed a bit. “No I’m not.” He replied. “Never will be.”

Lindsey paid a call to Stella to inform her of the new development. 

~.o0o.~

After nearly two months Gene was fed up it. Either Don Flack was a clueless man or he didn’t pay much attention to detail because it wasn’t a crime scene.

“Bet if I was a damn corpse he’d notice.” She grumbled.

“Notice what?” Jo asked, causing the younger woman to jump.

“Nothing, nothing at all.” Gene replied. Heading off in her own direction Gene found herself in the lab.


	14. Chapter 14

“Hey Mac there’s someone who wants to see you. Its through video chat though.” Gene informed.

“With who?” Mac questioned?

“Go to the conference room and find out.”

Mac did as he was told and headed to the conference room. Unknown to him his team was watching.

On the screen was one Stella Bonasera. “Mac Taylor what’s this I hear about you going after gang lords and getting shot?”

“Stella I can explain.” 

“I don’t want to hear it Taylor.” 

The group had broken down into fits of giggles. At some point or another they had all been on the receiving end of one of Mac’s rants about what needs to be done. For once it was time to see the boss get it from the one person who would listen to.

~.o0o.~

“So what’s this thing that you have for Flack?” Jo asked.

“I don’t have anything with him. We’re just friends.” The raven haired woman replied.

“So?”

“Alright, alright, I like the guy. He doesn’t feel the same and someone actually asked me out the other night. I think it’s only because I changed my appearance.” 

“Well you did look more like someone who was giving the signals of not wanting to date.” Jo confessed.

“But I’ve been on a few dates with guys. Had a boyfriend for a year.” Gene replied. “Now that I think about it, few of those dates ended with the guys telling me I was more friend material than girlfriend material.” She sighed.

“Hey, don’t give up hope. There is nothing wrong with being single. My advice don’t get hung up on someone who you feel won’t return the feelings.” Jo informed her.

“Thanks Jo.”

“Anytime. Now go out and be young.” She told her.

~.o0o.~

“You are an amazing woman.” The blonde complimented.

“Thank you. Especially after what I heard today.” Gene replied.

“What did you hear today?” Hal asked.

This was their third date, gene and the team had just wrapped up a triple homicide the day before and she was on call.

“You know I’d like to spoil you.”

“Nothing saying you can’t.” she smiled. 

“Then maybe I will.” Hal replied. 

And for a good two months things were going very well. Hal didn’t do anything outrageous. Dinners here or there around the city when Gene was available. 

“Hello my Goddess Devine.” Hal greeted when he called her.

“Goddess Devine, that’s a new one.” She smiled, biting the corner of her lip.

On the other side of the room Don felt a growl rise in his chest. Gene was talking to another guy. She’d been smiling every day she came into work, and had even been seen getting into a car.

“You gonna stop glaring at her?” Danny asked.

“Not glaring at her just her phone.”

“Don you had the chance and lost it.” Danny replied.

“Way to kick a man when he’s down Danno.”

Few days later Gene frowned as she found herself on a surprise case. “I’m sure he’ll understand.” She said.

Gene was coming out of the lab when she saw Hal enter the lab. “Hey babe.” She greeted.

“I’m sorry ab-“

“I don’t want to hear it!” he spat. “Do you have any idea how you made me look last night? Waiting there alone for an hour, I looked like a complete fool.”

“I’d watch tat tone if I were you.” Gene warned.

“Clearly this job means more to you than any relationship. I need to know that when I have something planned it won’t be ruined by your job.”

“Then I guess you’d better go.” She told him.

Hal glared at her. “You’ll regret losing me one day.”

“Not really.” She said. 

Once Hal was gone Gene deflated. What had been a front for the other man was now gone. 

“Gene you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She replied. “He didn’t understand how much this job and this place meant to me.” She said.

“That’s the hard part. Finding someone who gets it. Someone who understands that dinner is cancelled, or you might wake up alone in the morning because they got called in in the middle of the night.”

“There’s someone out there. You’ll find him.”

~.o0o.~

“Ghosts? We’re actually standing here talking about ghosts.” Gene laughed.

“I would think you’d be on my side.” Sheldon replied.

“No deal. Just because I grew up around dead bodies doesn’t mean I believe in ghosts, the supernatural or sprites.” She replied. “But I won’t lie, strange things happened.” She smiled.

“I think you’re making it up.” Don replied.

“Maybe, maybe not. But I certainly know that at every funeral I was at there was always this one spot where I would see what looked like a mist, then once everyone had moved out they were gone.”

The others were hanging on every word she was saying, a silence falling over them as they took in what she said. 

“AHH!” Gene cried out causing the other three to jump with both surprise and fear as the woman dissolved into a fit of laughter. 

Hawkes shoved her as she laughed. “You’re not funny.”

~.0.~

Later that night they found themselves wandering through the dark park searching with flashlights, an eerie fog at their feet and storm clouds overhead.

“Scardy cat.” Danny repeated. “What would Gene do if she found out that you’d run from the spider she calls you to come kill it?”   
“She’s a big girl she’ll kill it herself.”

“And Lindsey can take down, a grown man but she still asks me to kill the spider.” Danny replied.

Back in the morgue they studied the body.

“Salt. Egyptian style, that’s one way of doing it.” Gene replied. 

“What?” Mac questioned.

“Yeah, it was part of the mummification process. They used salt to help preserve the bodies.” Sid, Mac and Danny all looked at her. “What, I grew up as a mortician’s daughter for a while I got interested in the different ways cultures handled their dead.” She explained.

“Sid you’re fired.” Danny threw out. “Usually you’re the one with all the odd creepy facts.”

~.o0o.~

Gene walked around the area and frowned. 

“What’s wrong with you?” Flack asked. 

“Clowns.”

“Don’t tell me, you’ll face down huge spiders, and murders but Clowns is what stumps you.” 

“It’s not that I’m a afraid of them, but they give me the damn skeebbies.” She replied. 

“That’s sad.”

“No, sad is that you can’t kill the spider.” She said.

~.o0o.~

Gene walked into the lab with a number of white paper bags in her hands. One of them open as she went to reach into it.

“I smell cookies, who has them?” Flack asked. 

“No, Flack.” He advanced on her grabbing the woman around the waist even as she leaned back putting her hand behind her, causing the bags to dangle in the air. The awkward angle causing her to grip the front of Flack’s shirt in her other hand. 

“No, no cookies for you.”

“Come on, just one.” He said.

“No they are for the girls.” She told her.

“They won’t miss one single cookie.”

“Hey, no sex in the hall way.” Sheldon laughed as he saw them. 

Flack let go of Gene out of surprise. “Ow, jerk.” Gene picked herself up and the cookies. 

“I’m going to get you back for that.” She told him. Trotting away she gave the cookies to Lucy and Elli who were in the break room, keeping the third bag for herself.

~.0.~

Gene had had another white bag with her. However it wasn’t what is was entirely meant to be. The bag contained a cookie and a little something extra.

HE was right where she wanted him to be. Entering Mac’s office she handed Flack the bag.

“Cookie for the cookie monster. Chocolate chip.” She said. “Nodding to Mac she smiled. Good night.”

“You need to see someone about that cookie addition you’ve got.”

Flack shrugged as he opened the bag, with a yelp of both surprise and fear he dropped the bag and the force causing him to jump out of his chair and began stomping on the bag.

Mac looked upon the man as if he’d lost his mind, until he finally stopped.

Outside the office and down the hall there was a roar of laughter from one dark haired female, who found herself laughing so hard she was doubled over.

“What was in the bag?”

“Cookies, and spiders.”

Flack looked back to see a sign in the place where Gene had been standing that said ‘That’s for dropping me’.


	15. Chapter 15

Flack was smart enough to never try and retaliate for the spider bit. HE didn’t want to find out what other tricks Gene had up her sleeves. His thoughts started to drift elsewhere. 

The bright shade of blue in her eyes, how her lips always had a pink color to them even when she wasn’t wearing her makeup. Then of course how smooth her skin was, the way she walked and talked. It was official he was falling and hard.

“Stop it.” Danny told him.

“What?” Flack asked snapping out of his train of thought. 

“I know that look. Same look I got when I would start thinking about Lindsey back when we first got together.”

“Danny, this is becoming more than a crush.”

“And until you’re over Jess, you don’t deserve Gene. It would be downright insulting to her.”

“Where the hell do you come off lecturing me?” Flack asked, glaring at his friend.

“What are you going to do when you’re standing there and you call Gene by Jess’ name?” Danny questioned. “Do you really think she’s going to forgive something like that?”

Danny was right. Gene and Jess were two different people. 

“You can’t expect to do the same things with Gene that you did with Jess and think they will work.” Flack replied.

“How is it you of all people are sitting here giving me this talk?” Flack asked. 

“Because I’ve talked to Mac enough times, and I think you’d rather hear this from me and not him.” Danny replied.

Flack sighed. 

“I love her. It’s more than a crush, now Danny.”

“Then you don’t make a move until you’ve gone and made your peace with Jess.”

~.o0o.~  
“Don, you don’t need my permission to move on. You are a grown man. You shouldn’t send your life alone because you lost one woman even if she was my daughter. Jess wouldn’t want you to spend it alone.” Mr. Angell told him.

Don nodded.

Don walked into the cemetery at the end of his shift. Coming to rest at Jess’ grave he sat down, placing the flowers on it.

“Hey Jess. Been a minute, but I’ve been busy. New York is the city that never sleeps, there’s always a case to solve, bad guys to catch. You know how things go. Lucy is getting big. She’s so big Jess, she looks just like Danny and sounds like Lindsey. Mac is holding it together still, Stella moved to New Orleans. The woman who took her job is nice. Adam is still Adam, for all his goofiness. Sid, is well, Sid. Sheldon is doing alright, Danny is still Danny. There was a bit of an issue with Shane Casey, I bet you remember that one. He tried to kill Danny, we thought he would be dead and instead he showed up in their apartment, was going to kill Lucy.” Don explained. “Gene is doing okay. She’s a trooper. I know you probably don’t want to hear about her. I heard about you telling her to stay away from me. I can’t, not any more. I’m only human, and I know you’d probably want me to move on but with who is my decision. I just wanted you to know that I loved you Jess, but now I’m ready to love someone else.” He said.

~.o0o.~

Gene chuckled as she looked around the school. “Im so glad I went to public school.” She chuckled.

Danny laughed at the comment. “What couldn’t cut it at one of these joints?”

“I could cut it, I just would have been in more fights.” She replied.

“Oh right, you called yourself a hellraiser.”

“Hey let my father tell it all of his kids are hellraisers. I mean yeah I caused trouble, not all of it was legal and I didn’t get caught. I mean what trouble you got into?”

“Oh I tried smoking once. My dad caught me and said that if I wanted to be a smoker I had to finish the whole pack, that day. Made myself sick, swore I would never do it again.”  
“What did he do the same thing for alcohol?” Lindsey questioned.

“No, I was already stealing his beers.”  
~.o0o.~

Adam frowned as they saw the traffic due to the accident.

“Damn drunk drivers.” She sighed. “Come on we’ll cut through the financial district.”

Adam didn’t question it, he was just happy to get a chance being in the field, and no the lab this case around. “Can we grab something to eat to take back to the lab?” Adam questioned.

They had been at it for a better part of the day, Sheldon was out sick and Lindsey was home with a flu stricken Lucy. Adam had insisted that Jo go home for the night but mainly or his own benefit to get a go in the field.

“No, but when we get there you can go get us something from down the street.”

“Fine, but you have to put on the coffee.”

“Deal.” Gene smiled. 

The light turned and she proceeded to head through, they never saw the speeding car.

Adam came around first, the sounds of sirens around coming around to them. Feeling the position they were in he realized they were upside down. 

“Gene? Gene you alright?”

The van had hit them on the left side, Gene getting the worst of it, but his head certainly felt like it had been rattled around.

Getting them out of the car they transported the pair to the hospital. Mac was there soon enough with Flack by his side filling him in on what he was able to find out.

“Hey Mac.” Adam greeted, though a bit tiredly and he sat back in his bed.

“What happened Adam?” Mac wanted to hear it from him. 

“There was an accident. So Gene said we’d cut through the financial distract because of how late it was it would be deserted, but we’d get back to the lab sooner. The light was green,” he explained. “She proceeded and then the car came out of nowhere, speeding.”

“Was it a car or a van?” Mac asked.

“No not a car it was a van.” Adam told them.

A doctor came over to them asking questions before telling them about Adam’s condition. They them moved onto Gene’s injuries. Full concussion, dislocated shoulder, sprained wrist other than that cuts and bruises like Adam.   
Flack frowned when he finally got to see her. “Gene?” he called out to her.

The signs of a serious concussion were all there. The raven haired woman squinted at him as the bright lights bothered her eyes, she was rubbing her temples as if trying to will the headache away.

“Careful she’s already battled off the nurses. With a concussion like Ms. Bennet’s-“

“Irritably, nausea, confusion, sensitivity to light and noise.” Mac said.

“Did you at least put her shoulder back in place?” Flack asked. 

“We couldn’t, she was trying to fight the nurses off. At this point the less moving she does the better.” The doctor explained.

“Stop talkin’ like I’m not here.” Gene commented.

“Can you do it if she’s distracted?” Meds weren’t an option. Not if they were going to make Gene drowsy and that was not something they needed at the moment.

“Let’s do it.” The doctor replied. 

“I’ll take Adam home, you handle Gene and keep me updated.” Mac told him.

“Sure Mac.” Don got himself settled on the bed in front of Gene. Taking her hand in his, he chuckled. 

“Figures the day I finally get the courage up to tell you how I feel about you and get yourself into a car accident.” He said.

“Worst things cou- Ah!” Gene squeezed Don’s hand as her shoulder was popped back into place. Gene dropped back against the bed, eyes squeezed shut.

“I’ll leave you to it. Keep her from falling asleep, here’s a bucket if she gets sick.” He said, handing Don the basin. 

“Hey Gene can I tell you something?” Don asked.

“Sure.”

“You probably won’t even remember this.” He sighed. “I know about Jess and her telling you to stay away. Then after she died why you continued to give me space.” Don explained. “You and she aren’t the same people, and I thought having feelings for you was betraying her. I deserve to move on, to be happy. You make me happy. Having out with you, sharing a beer or just on the job. If she hadn’t told you to stay away I would have been in love with the both of you and done something stupid to lose you both. I want to be with you, if I have that chance.” Don finished.

“Pretty speech.” Gene smiled, lazily. 

Don stayed with Gene through the night. In the early hours she was allowed to go home with which Don took her. Her head felt a great still better, her shoulder had stopped throbbing. 

“Thanks for staying with me at the hospital and then bringing me home. I’ll see you at work in a few days.” She told him.

Don felt his heart sink. Gene didn’t remember what he’d said to her.

“Yeah.” He replied.

~.o0o.~

It was only the next day that certain bits and pieces were starting to fill in. She replayed parts of Don’s speech over and over in her head. Finally making it back to work Gene waited for her chance to confront Don but it never came.

It only served to drive her nuts about it and to make Don worry what would actually be said. “Why the hell did I open my big mouth?”


	16. Chapter 16

Getting dressed that night Gene couldn’t believe she had let herself get conned into this. Tonight was a fundraiser and Mac told everyone they had to be there. There was no getting out of it, Mac had made that very clear to everyone. Anything short of you being hurt and needing medical attention you were going to be there.

Pulling the zipper up she knew there was no turning back. With her make up done, and shoes on Gene made sure she had everything she would need for the night.

Stepped out the door she grabbed a cab to the banquet hall. 

“Don’t you clean up nicely?” Jo commented when she saw Don. 

“Thanks Jo. You look great yourself.” Looking around her spotted Lindsey and Danny. “Messer is that I bow tie I see on you?” Flack asked.

“It was either wear it or end up on the couch.” Danny informed him. 

Lindsey just laughed, shaking her head at her husband’s comment.   
“Bout time you all showed up. I was starting to wonder if you left me to my own devices.” Mac commented as he reached them

“Well you did say we all had to be here for this. I even had to buy a new tux for the occasion.” Don smiled.

Gene entered the banquet hall, a smile on her face as she walked through, he eyes scanning the room for her friends. She easily spotted Don’s broad shoulders and height. Walking over to him she turned around she her back was to him. Backing up into him Don thought it was his fault and quickly tried to apologize calling her miss and everything else until he realized wo she was. 

“Wow, you, you look amazing.” HE said.

He wasn’t aware she remembered anything from that night at the hospital.

“Thank you, Don.” She smiled. 

“Where is everyone else?”

“They are at a table getting settled.” He replied. 

“Thanks Don.” Gene headed over to go join the others and Don could only stare after her retreating form. The dress fit like a glove. Just the right amount of skin exposed as the dress flared out a bit as it went to the floor. Her hair was pinned up in a mass of curls and the make up on her face seemed to make her bright blue eyes even brighter.

Following her over to the table they joined the others. Even the others had to admit how good she looked. It was different to how she always wore those damned boots, jeans and t-shirts. It was refreshing.

“So what exactly is this fundraiser for Mac?” Danny asked.

“I don’t know, I don’t care I got threatened into being here by the chief, if Im going to have to suffer though this so are you.” HE told them.

The entire team frowned at their boss.

“That’s not right Mac.” Sheldon replied.

“Come on Danny, lets go dance.” Lindsey told him.

Watching the others go Don finally looked at Gene. “I’m afraid I’d only step on your toes.” She replied.

“Oh come on, you can’t be that bad.” Don didn’t allow her to protest as he pulled her from the chair and onto the dance floor. 

Reaching the dance floor they took their places and fell into sync with everyone else. “We need to talk, Don.”

“About what?”

“Don’t play stupid. You know about what. I remember that night at the hospital and your little confession.” She replied.

“Gene, I-“

“You know you rea-“

“Really are a hard man to love?” Don questioned.

“No, you have bad timing.” She replied. Pulling away from Don she got off the dance floor leaving him to follow her to a fairly quiet corner. 

“You wait until after I get cracked over the head to tell me you care. If I had known you were going to wait this long I would have said something.”

“Well why the hell didn’t you?” He questioned. 

“When the hell was I going to?” Gene questioned. “What when you were still dating Jess, so I could be a home wrecker? Oh I know, while you were grieving her death and going through self-destruction. Or better yet while I was stoned out of my head because my crazy ex kidnapped me. I heard what you said about me too.”

“Said about you when?” The blue eyed detective questioned.

“Months ago, when you were with Danny at the bar. I saw you both and went in to say hi. That’s when I heard you talking about me. How I didn’t do things like wear makeup or dress like Lindsey. I made those changes wondering if you would notice.”

“I did notice.”

“Then why did you never say anything?” she questioned.

“Gene I’m a guy, when do we ever get it right?” Done asked. “Should I have said something yes, but I didn’t trust myself to love you because of Jess. I had to put what I had with her to be with you.. away. It wouldn’t be fair to you if I was still hung up on her.” He confessed.

Gene’s frustration at him softened. “Don.”

"I want the chance to be with you if you'll give it to me." he told her. 

"OF course I will." She replied walking into his open arms to hug him. From the edge of the dance floor money was changing hands for the bet that had been placed over the two.

"But how are we so sure this is even a confession?" Sheldon asked.

"It is." Jo smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> so chapter one is shit. I wanted them to meet like this and then work it out else were. Chapters from now on will be longer.
> 
> There will be a lot of time with them in the lab, hints at cases they are working on. Some will be from the show, some I will be making up.


End file.
